Fluid ejection devices may find uses in a variety of different technologies. For example, some printing devices, such as printers, copiers and fax machines, print by ejecting tiny droplets of a fluid from an array of fluid ejection mechanisms onto a printing medium. The fluid ejection mechanisms are typically formed on a fluid ejection die mounted to a carrier that is movably coupled to the body of the printing device. Careful control of the individual fluid ejection mechanisms, the movement of the die across the printing medium, and the movement of the medium through the device allow a desired image to be formed on the medium.
The combination of the fluid ejection die and the carrier may be referred to as a “fluid ejection head.” One type of fluid ejection device, commonly referred to as a wide-array fluid ejection device, includes a fluid ejection head having a plurality of fluid ejection dies mounted on a single carrier. This allows the wide array fluid ejection device to eject more fluid droplets per unit time compared to a single-die fluid ejection head, and thus helps to increase printing speeds.
Many fluid ejection devices employ a servicing station to periodically wipe (or otherwise clean) the fluid ejection head of any fluid residues. Servicing stations typically include a flexible wiper that is wiped across the surface of the printhead on which the orifices are located, thereby pushing any residual fluid away from the orifices and helping to prevent contamination of the orifices with the residues. However, the fluid ejection dies of some fluid ejection devices may stand proud of the surface of the carrier. Where the upper surfaces of the die and the carrier are not level, the wiper may miss some ink residues adjacent where the carrier and die meet. Moreover, the die and the carrier are often made of semiconductor and/or ceramic materials, and thus may have rough edges and/or surfaces capable of damaging the wiper.